Sarasota Orchestra Announces 75th Anniversary Season

May 22, 2023 – Sarasota

Sarasota Orchestra is celebrating 75 years of live music with its 2023-2024 season. This jubilant anniversary year promises transcendent performances that will move, delight and inspire the community to reach new artistic heights. 

Sarasota Orchestra Creative Partner Peter Oundjian played a key role in the season, shaping the Orchestra’s sound and leading the curation of programs and guest artists for the Orchestra’s classical series. Award-winning pianist Garrick Ohlsson will also return to Sarasota for a special Gala performance.

“As I have come to know this wonderful orchestra and its passionate patrons, I experience a sense of ‘hometown pride’ that is rare in today’s orchestral world,” said Oundjian. “The arts and the Orchestra make this community special and make me optimistic that we can all come together through our shared appreciation of the universal language of music.”

The 2023-2024 season is composed of five popular concert series:

The Masterworks series creates rich symphonic experiences through a mix of orchestral masterpieces, dynamic guest conductors and world-class soloists. In celebration of the organization’s 75th anniversary, this season’s Masterworks series features a performance by violinist Stella Chen, an alumna of the Sarasota Music Festival, and a work by composer Roger Zare, a former student in the Sarasota Youth Orchestras. Additional highlights include Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue (celebrating its own 100th anniversary), Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (Eroica), and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. Masterworks performances take place at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and Neel Performing Arts Center.

Beethoven’s Eroica – November 3, 4, 5

David Alan Miller, Conductor | Tessa Lark, Violin

J. Strauss, Jr. – Overture to Die Fledermaus

Michael Torke  – Sky – Concerto for Violin and Orchestra

Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)

The Scottish – December 2, 3

Johannes Debus, conductor | Randall Goosby, violin

John Corigliano – Stomp

Mozart – Violin Concerto No. 3

Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 3 (Scottish)

Friends & Inspirations – January 5, 6, 7 

Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor | Sir Stephen Hough, piano

Clarice Assad – Bonecos De Olinda

Rachmaninoff – Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Elgar – Enigma Variations

Titans – January 26, 27, 28

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor | Ji Su Jung, marimba

Mozart – Overture to The Marriage of Figaro

Kevin Puts – Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra

Mahler – Symphony No. 1

Smoke and Fire – February 8, 9, 10, 11

Rune Bergmann, conductor | Stella Chen, violin

Nielsen – Overture to Maskarade

Prokofiev – Violin Concerto No. 2 

Rachmaninoff – Symphony No. 2

Rhapsody in Blue @ 100 – March 14, 15, 16, 17

Peter Oundjian, conductor | Michelle Cann, piano

Rossini – Overture to The Thieving Magpie

Price – Piano Concerto in One Movement

Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue

Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 5

Yang Plays Mozart – April 12, 13, 14

Katharina Wincor, conductor | Joyce Yang, piano

Roger Zare – Neowise

Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 24

Dvorak – Symphony No. 8

The Pops series delivers crowd-pleasing shows featuring powerful vocalists and fan-favorite melodies that will keep audience members humming long after concerts. This includes music from Broadway, powerful soul hits, and a program dedicated to singer-songwriters Paul Simon, James Taylor and Neil Diamond. Dynamic vocalists join Sarasota Orchestra musicians to perform these hits. Pops performances take place at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

Broadway Showstoppers – January 19, 20

Evan Roider, conductor 
Ali Ewoldt, vocals 

Teri Hansen, vocals 

Sean MacLaughlin, vocals

Singers and Songwriters – March 1, 2
Christopher Confessore, conductor

Michael Cavanaugh, vocals/piano

She’s Got Soul – April 19, 20Lucas Waldin, conductor 

Capathia Jenkins, vocals

The Discoveries series features bite-sized programs delighting both devotees and newcomers to great chamber orchestra repertoire. This season’s series celebrates the music of London, works infused with the movement of dance, and the genius and inspiration of Tchaikovsky. In the final Discoveries, virtuoso cellist Zlatomir Fung, winner of the 2019 International Tchaikovsky Competition, will join Sarasota Orchestra to perform Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations. Discoveries performances take place at the Sarasota Opera House.

London Calling – October 21

Nicholas McGegan, conductor

R. Strauss – Serenade for Winds

Elgar – Introduction and Allegro for String Quartet and Strings

Haydn – Symphony No. 104 (London)

Cheers to the Music of Dance – December 20

Yue Bao, conductor

J. Strauss, Jr. – Voices of Spring

Gluck – Dance of the Blessed Spirits

J. Strauss, Jr. – Emperor Waltzes

Brahms – Hungarian Dance No. 5

Poulenc – Sinfonietta

Becoming Tchaikovsky – May 11

David Alan Miller, conductor | Zlatomir Fung, cello

Bizet – Carmen: Excerpts from Suite No. 1

Grieg – Peer Gynt: The Death of Aase

Missy Mazzoli – These Worlds in Us

Schumann –  Symphony No. 4: Movements 2 and 4

Mozart  – Overture to The Magic Flute

Tchaikovsky – Variations on a Rococo Theme

The Great Escapes series is one of Sarasota Orchestra’s most popular, offering a mix of popular tunes, light classics and conductor commentary. Some themes for the coming season include “New York, New York,” “Holiday Party” and “Luck of the Irish.” In this series, conductors share stories and commentary throughout each performance. Great Escapes performances take place at Holley Hall.

New York, New York – October 11-14

David Alan Miller, conductor

Holiday Party – December 6-10

Kelly Corcoran, conductor

By Special Arrangement – January 10-14

Christopher Confessore, conductor

Revolutionary Music – January 31-February 4

Lawrence Loh, conductor

Luck of the Irish – March 6-10 

Steven Jarvi, conductor

Fantastic Voyage – April 24-27

Christopher Confessore, conductor

The Chamber Soirées series offers the opportunity to get up close and personal with Sarasota Orchestra musicians as they perform magnificent, small ensemble works. This season includes six programs featuring string and piano quartets, classics for wind and brass instruments, rare gems and more. Chamber Soirées performances take place at Holley Hall.

Rare Gems – October 8

Mahler – Piano Quartet

Debussy – String Quartet

A Soldier’s Tale – November 19

Stravinsky – L’Histoire du Soldat (A Soldier’s Tale)

Beethoven and Berio – December 21

Gabrieli – Four Canzoni (Arr. For Brass Quintet)

Berio – Opus Number Zoo

Beethoven – String Quartet No. 2

String and Piano Quartets – January 21

Price  – String Quartet

Schumann – Piano Quartet

Heavenly Harmony – February 25

Massenet – Méditation from Thaïs

Roussel – Sérénade for Flute, String Trio, and Harp

Mozart – Wind Serenade No. 11

Classics for Wind and Brass – March 21

Nielsen – Wind Quartet

Ewald – Brass Quintet No. 3

Two special concerts are also planned for the 2023-2024 season. Oundjian will conduct a Special Concert & Gala featuring guest pianist Ohlsson for the anniversary season’s grand fête, and Sarasota Orchestra will perform John Williams’ beloved score from Star Wars: A New Hope live, whisking audiences to a galaxy far, far away. These performances are scheduled to take place at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

Star Wars: A New Hope – October 27-28

Full film projected with musical score performed live by Sarasota Orchestra 

Special Concert & Gala  – February 15

Peter Oundjian, conductor | Garrick Ohlsson, piano

Copland – Fanfare for the Common Man

Tower – Fanfare No. 6 for the Uncommon Woman

Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30

Gershwin – An American in Paris